IT for the elderly. Tablet software: demand, purchase and use
We continue to discuss issues related to software that makes a standard tablet convenient for an elderly person. In a previous publication, I finished the story of how our software was implemented, and in this I will move on to the topic of its distribution and practical use.
WHERE TO BUY AND HOW TO PREPARE FOR USE
First, I will briefly answer the question that begs itself: “My grandmother (my grandfather) needs such a thing - where to get it and how to start it?”
The software developed by us “Pony” will be distributed, first of all, first of all on google play. The price will be quite affordable, but still 30 to 50 percent higher than now on the Planet .
Despite the fact that the application can be installed on any separately purchased Android tablets, we, as the brand owner, may, in agreement with tablet manufacturers, sell licenses for fully tested tablets of certain brands (“recommended tablets”). Thus, another sales channel appears: branded tablets of manufacturers - Russian and foreign and / or tablets of telecommunications companies - MTS, Beeline, Megafon, etc.
In addition to distribution through the main sales channel - retail sales to individual customers - the application can be purchased by government agencies and sponsors for nursing homes, veteran clubs, etc.
The Pony application purchased on Google Play will be automatically installed on the tablet. Almost any tablet will do. The minimum characteristics are completely non-limiting: a screen from 7 ”with a PPI of 150 (for more information, refer to the excellent article by AlexeyNadezhin ); single-core processor 1 GHz; RAM 1 GB; 4 GB internal memory - mainly for media content. Everything else (more memory, better video specifications, front camera for Skype, wifi for the Internet, etc.) according to needs and, of course, according to capabilities.
Then you need to sit next to the future tablet user and together with him, through the settings module, determine the software parameters that take into account age restrictions and features of this particular person.
After that, it is necessary to fill the tablet with data for application applications . In the future, the procedure will be greatly simplified, and in the first version of our software you will have to spend some time: the files of the corresponding formats are entered into the specified folders - for a photo album, for a music player, for a reader, for a video player. In order for the user to be able to select the desired works or images in the future, the files will need to be provided with the appropriate tags - artist, composer, title, director, actors, associations. It is not necessary to fill in everything - if this is done together with a future user, it will be clear what exactly makes sense to enter into the tablet’s memory and what doesn’t. The process is not fast and responsible.
It remains only to choose our launcher as the default launcher, and the tablet is ready to use. Everything will be described in detail in the instructions for the system.
After fairly routine settings and filling, the time will come for a more creative lesson - you will need to show the elderly person how to use the new device, demonstrate to him that it is not difficult and not scary.
IS THERE A DEMAND?
Older people cannot more or less fully use modern information technologies in their current form. And such people - no less than - almost a quarter of the population of Russia.
As of January 1, 2013, the number of elderly people in Russia amounted to 33.1 million people. Annual growth is approximately 10%.
Now 1-2 tablets in the family are the norm. We buy tablets for children, it's time to buy tablets for older relatives.
WHO WILL BUY?
Our Pony software is a product with different customers and consumers. Customers are children and grandchildren, and consumers are parents and grandparents.
Pony buyers are primarily people aged 26-50 who purchase the product for their older relatives. We assume that the initiators of the purchase will most likely be women, and for the most part men will buy.
Buyers are middle-income people who are quite active in using mobile devices and applications for mobile devices. The incentive to buy is the desire to somehow improve the life of an old person.
That's all I wanted to tell you about how our software for older users will be purchased. In the next publication I will write about the prospects for the development of the project within the framework of the general concept of “IT for the elderly”.
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Project on the Internet:
https://planeta.ru/campaigns/poni
https: //www.facebook. com / ponytablet /
http://vk.com/ponytablet